LAHORE, Aug 4: Foodgrain prices showed a general upward trend in July. The price trends were less clear for fruits and vegetables as early arriving varieties sold at high prices and prices of others declined.

Wheat prices increased by Rs25 per quintel in the Akbari Mandi but flour prices were stable as price of wheat issued to mills from Food Department stores remained unchanged.

Maize and bajra prices increased by Rs50 to Rs75 and Rs25 per quintel, respectively, but jawar’s prices declined by Rs25 to 50 per quintel.

The maximum prices of Basmati rice increased by Rs50 per quintel for the new crop and dropped by a similar amount for last year’s crop. The Super Basmati rates increased by Rs50 per quintel for the new crop. The price for old rice went up by Rs200 per quintel.

Sugar prices registered a Rs30 per quintel increase but gur and shakkar were cheaper by Rs50 and Rs25 per quintel, respectively.

Prices of white grams remained unchanged but black grams were cheaper by Rs150 to Rs500 per quintel. Gram pulse and gram flour prices, too, showed a downward trend.

Moong and moong pulse prices dropped by Rs50 to Rs250 per quintel but prices of maash and maash pulses were up by Rs75 to Rs250 per quintel. Imported masoor was cheaper by Rs25 to Rs50 but prices the pulses increased by Rs50 to Rs175 and Rs425 per quintel, for imported and domestic grain, respectively.

Prices of whole and ground chilies rose by Rs100 to Rs125 and Rs250 to Rs750 per quintel, respectively. The prices of 16-kilogram vegetable ghee cannister increased by Rs5 to Rs30.

Prices of potatoto, tomato and teenda rose but rates for onions and ginger fell slightly. Gareen chilies were dearer and lemons cheaper than June.

Apples remained expensive but mangoes were available at moderate rates. Fresh crops of guava, pomegranate, grapes and jambolanum arrived in the market during the month and sold at fairly high prices.—Reporter